A*Star sets up robotics lab to help medtech sector

24 Jul 2013, BioSpectrum Bureau , BioSpectrum

Singapore: Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Engineering have inked an agreement to launch two joint research labs in precision motion systems and industrial robotics, to build capabilities in various sectors including medtech.

The Joint Labs are launched in conjunction with a new A*STAR Industrial Robotics Research programme. This programme brings together researchers from SIMTech, Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), NUS, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and other local and overseas universities and research institutes for multi-disciplinary collaboration.

The Joint Labs will develop technologies and capabilities to improve workforce productivity in the medtech, aerospace, marine and offshore and the precision engineering clusters where automation is currently lower compared to automotive and semiconductor manufacturing.

The Joint Labs aim to boost automation in such industry clusters, by enhancing the capability, performance, and intelligence of precision machines and robotic systems to allow for higher throughput, higher accuracy, and greater human-machine cooperation on unstructured manufacturing shop-floors.

Dr Lim Ser Yong, executive director, SIMTech, said that, "Currently, manufacturing companies are seeking automation solutions to improve productivity. With the new Joint Labs, companies have an added avenue to leverage on the combined expertise of SIMTech and NUS to develop automation technologies and solutions to achieve higher productivity and value-add."

Professor Lim Seh Chun, deputy dean, NUS Faculty of Engineering, said that, "The Joint Labs aim to forge a pyramid of strength in the fundamentals and methodologies of current and future technologies through the synergy of upstream and downstream research evolving industrial trends. Given the Faculty's expertise and strengths in precision motion and robotics, I am confident that our latest collaboration with SIMTech will fulfil a spectrum of industrial needs in the manufacturing sector."